Bobbin-clutching means for rotatable spindles



oct.' 25, 1921. 1,641,106

H. H. I aur-:DrsT-'r BOBBIN CLUTCHING MEANS'FOR ROTATABLE' SPINDLBS EQ2. I

Filed Nov. 5. 1926 InvenTor.

Horace H.. Burden www MLM l Ays.

Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

HORACE H. BUEDETT, 0E n oPEnALE,

MAssACHu-sETTs, vAssiefivorc To DRAPER ConroEAT1oNoE HorEnA'LE, MAsseCiiUsETTs, A CoEronATIoN 0E MAINE.

'BoBBiN-cLUTcnInG MEAivs FoRfRoTTAB'LE srIivnLEs,

l A-ppiieation fiied'Nbvember 5, i926. serial No. 1146,329.

This invention relates to lthatV type of spindle employed in spinning frames andy similar machines in which bobbin clutching members are provided to fit within the base of the bobbin and t'okexpalnd therein, thusto maintain the bobbin in position during the spinning or other' operation. n

It is the ob'ectof the present invention to provide a. simple and efcient forme-of con struction in which the pressure of'thejbobbin-A clutching members shall be exertedy sym-- met-rically and evenly radially of the spin-4v dle and in which the force of centrifugal action shall b e utilized to the ful-les'tfextent in increasingthe pressure when the spindle is rotated. f

It is the further object of the invent-ion to provide'aconstruction Aiii-which the parts are so constructed as not to be likely to get out of order or fail to function.`

It is the furtherobject ofthe-invention to provide a constructionin which the parts shall be protected against clogging'from flyor lint.

It is the object of-the invention to' provide a construction-'in which the movement vrof the lparts shall be of aV character as to be subject to the minimum amount 'of wear and one iii-which any part may4 bereadily lreplaced if desired o'rfound necessary. These and other ob'ects andr feat! res of the invention will appear more vfullyffrorn the accompanying description 'and ldrawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims. A l

As the general construction and operation of spinningand similar spindles with bobbin' clutching members are well'known-and familiar to-those skilled in the art, it will only be necessary here to illustrateand describe the parts directly concerned wit-hthe present invention.

In'the drawings: Y ff Fig. l is a view chiefly-in central vertical cross section of a portion of r-a spindle'embodying a preferred form' ofthe invention,

the section being taken onthe line l-l ofV y 4 and at the lower end vby the innerperimeter Fig. 4.v e Fig. Qis a view similar to Fig. l, the 'section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of tion on the line 4 4 of Figpl, showing the same lconstruction; y

Iny the preferred construction illustrated,

the blade l of the spindle is generallyof the l usual fornil and has rigidlyfsecured thereto, preferably by a driving tit, the whirl 2. yIn

the preferred" construction, .the whirl is eX- tended upwardly to form an integral sleeve 3` concentric with and closely fitting vthe blade. This sleeve consequently rotates lwith the blade. Between the ends of the sleeve the blade l is preferably formed with a section 4L ofreduced diameter, `The upper surfaceg-offthe whirl isfflatfanda metal cap havingr flatl top "6, the upper surface of which forms a bobbin rest, and adepending annular flange-7 is secured-to the whirl against they surface` 5, preferably'by being drivenon with a drivingfit. Acollar 8 is secured to or driven Qn the blade at the upperend` of the sleeve and -is provided with a depend-ing flangefQlinterlocking with the sleeve. The outeror exterior surface of this collar merges into' that ofthe sleeve.

1 .The sleeve-8 is provided with a plurality of" symmetrically arranged longitudinal slots, hereini shown for convenience four inrv number.v -These slots at'their lower ends l0 extend radially :through the top portion'of the Whirllbeneath the lcap forming the bobbin rest andtheside wallsL 1l of theselslots throughout their length extend parallel to the centralyyertical, radial planes ofthe slots. v

A bobbin clutching member and a spring' therefor 'are positioned by and movable in each one of the slots'in the sleeve.`A Thus the bobbin clutchingmembers and springs Aare positioned symmetrically around the blade and extend` longitudinally thereof. vThe clutch members 'are both angularly and bodily movable radially of the blade, that is,` rthey 'both rock and move bodily in the slotsinthesleeve.v The outward movement v of the cap formingr the bobbin rest. The springs, which are located betweenthe blade and the clutch members, are so arrangedl as to, constitute radially yielding means acting against the clutch 'members intermediate their ends; In other words, the outer pressure of the springs is exerted at a point intermediate the ends of the clutch members.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the springs 12 are shown as of a hat leaf form and stand vertically with their flat surfaces tangential to the blade, each spring being positioned by the side walls 11 of the slot within which it is located. The upper and lower ends of these springs are held against inward radial movement while their intermediate portions are yieldable radially toward and from the blade. This is preferably secured by allowing the springs to contact at their upper and lower ends with the main body of the blade while their intermediate portions span the reduced section 4 of the blade'.

The bobbin clutching members 13 are shown as made of solid metal of substantial radial thickness.v Each lits closely between the side walls'11 of the slot within which it ismounted and is provided at its lower end with a footor exterior flange 14 seated in the section 10 of the slot and extending beneath the bobbin rest cap and is provided at its upper end with an inner upwardly eX- tending flange 15 inside of the flange 9 of the collar 8. Each bobbin clutching member at its inner surface has a fulcrum engagement intermediate and preferably about midway its ends with its corresponding spring 12. F rom this point or line of fulcrum engagement the opposed surfaces of the clutch member and cooperating spring diverge above and below the fulcrum. This allows the bobbin clutching member to rock angularly in the slot. In the construction illustrated, this result is secured by having each spring straight and flat and forming the inner surface of the bobbin clutching member at its lower portion 16 inclined downwardly and outwardly and at its upper portion 1'?r the clutch members, it presses radially inM` ward these upper ends so that the bobbin clutching members rock angularly in their slots against a relatively light pressure exert'- ed by the springs. As the bobbin is slid further down, this pressure increases until the bobbin clutching members are forced bodily inward against the full force of the springs and the outer bobbin engaging surfaces engage th-e bobbin throughout their length.

This increase in theoutward pressure exert-v kthe spindle is rotating at full speed.

ed by the springs and the bobbin clutching members from relatively light pressure to a relatively heavy pressure as the bobbin is placed in position is very effective, enabling the operator to slip the bobbin on easily and insuring the bobbin being gripped with suiiicient firmness, when seated on the bobbin rest, as to rotate with the spindle. This is due to the fact that each bobbin clutching member at first rocks as a lever and then moves bodily inward.

i Tt will be observed further that the bobbin clutching members are of very substantial. size. This means that the bobbin clutching members are relatively heavy and thus highly responsive to centrifugal action when Thus the gripping engagement of the bobbin clutching members with the bobbin is very substantially increased by centrifugal actionwhenV the spindle is in operation while, i

when the spindle is stopped, the bobbin is gripped only as a result of the resiliency of the springs.

Owing to the fact that the bobbin clutching members lit closely between the side walls of the slots in the sleeve 3 and are closely enclosed at their upper ends by the collar 8 and at their lower ends by the bobbin rest cap, it is well-nigh vimpossible for the collection of lint or fly to have any effect upon the operationof the bobbin clutching members. This is further prevented by the rocking movement of the clutch members in the slots of the sleeve. Furthermore, the construction is such that it is practically impossible for it to get out of order. Each spring and each bobbin clutching member are positioned and held in a simple and effective manner and no amount ,of wear or usage tends to interfere with these positions or to change the character or symmetry of the operation. Y

Having thus described the inventiomwhat is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of springs positioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinally thereof with their ends held against inward radial movement and with their intermediate portions yieldable radially toward and from the blade, a corresponding plurality of clutch members located radially outward, and extending longitudinally, of the respective springs and presenting outer surfaces for engaging the bobbin and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagement intermediate their ends with the springs, the opposed surfaces of the clutch members and springs diverging above and below the fulcrums, and means for limiting the radial outward movement of both ends of the clutch members, whereby when a bobbin is slid over the clutch members, first the upper ends thereof will rock inward en- Q. A rotatable spindle having theiconstruc- Y tion defined in claim l, together with a sleeve concentric and-rotatable with the blade and presenting longitudinal slots fitting the bobbin clutching members and within which slots the bobbin clutching members 4move radially and from which slots the bobbin clutching members project outwardly.

l3. A rotatable spindle having the construction defined in claim l, together with a sleeve concentric and rotatable with the blade and vpresenting longitudinal slots positioning the springs and the respectivetbobbin clutching members Kand the side walls of which fit the side walls of the bobbin clutching members and permit vthe required movements of the bobbinclutching members and from which slots the bobbin clutching meinbers project outwardly.

t. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of fiat leaf springs positioned symmetrically around the blade and exten-ling longitudinally thereof with their flat surfaces tangential thereto and with their ends held against inward radial movement and with their intermediate portions yieldable radially toward and from the blade, a corresponding plurality of clutch members located radially outward, and extending longitudinally, of the respective springs and presenting outer bobbin engaging surfaces and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagement intermediate their ends with the springs, the surfaces of the clutch members opposed to the springs diverging outwardly above and below the fulcrums, and means for limiting the radial outward movement 'of both ends of the clutch members, whereby when a bobbin is slid over the clutch mem-.

lsleeve concentric and rotatable with the blade and presenting longitudinal slots fittin g the bobbin clutching members and within which slots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which slotsl the bobbin clutching members project outwardly.

6. A rotatable spindle having the construction defined in claim 4, together with a lsleeve concentric and rotatable with the ,blade and presenting ylongitudinal slots, the -side walls of which abut the edges of the vsprings and thus position the springs and fit with. a relatively the side walls of .thebobbinf clutching'mem-f lbers andpermit the required movements'o'fy the'. bobbiny clutching members and from which slots-the bobbin clutching. members project outwardly. f

7. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a. plurality of clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade and'eiitendv-` ing longitudinally thereof and bodily and angularly movable radially thereof, independent radially yielding Idevices located one between the blade and each clutch member and acting against the respective clutch members intermediateth'eir ends, and means to limit the outward movement of the ends ofthe clutch members, whereby as a bobbin is. forced into position over'the clutch mem- 1 bers, .the upper ends of said clutch'members willfirst rock inward against a relatively light pressure and then the clutchmembers will move bodily inward against a relatively heavy pressure an'dfinally, when the bobbin is seated, engage throughout their lengths the bobbin bore. c v 'i L 8. A rotatable l spindle Acorn'prisirgga blade, a plurality of clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade andextendangular-ly movable radially thereof, radially yielding means located between the blade and the clutch members and acting aga-inst the clutch members intermediate their ends, means to limit the outward movement of the ends of the clutch members, and a sleeve concentric and rotatable with the blade and presenting longitudinal slots fitting the bobbin clutching members and within which slots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which slots the bobbin clutching members project outwardly whereying longitudinally thereof and bodily and p byras a bobbin is forced into position over the clutch members, the upper ends of said clutch members will first rockA inward against arelatively light pressure and then the clutch members will move bodily inward against a relatively heavy pressure and finally, when the bobbin is seated, engage throughout their lengths the bobbin bore.

9. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinally thereof and bodily and angularly movable radially thereof, radially yielding Ameans located between the blade and the clutch members and acting against the clutch members intermediate their ends, means to limit the outward movement of the Vends of the clutch members,v a sleeve concentric and rotatablewith the blade and presenting longitudinal slots fitting the bobbin y.clutching members and within which slots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which they project outwardly, and a. collar on the blade closing the upper ends of the slots and having its eXterior surface lmerging with the eX- terior surface of the sleeve whereby as a bobbin is forced into position over the clutch members, the upper ends of said clutch members will first rock inward against relatively light pressure and then the clutch members will move bodily inward against a relatively' heavy pressure andfinally, when the bobbin is seated, engage throughout their lengths theV bobbin bore.

10.A rotatable spindle coniprising the construction defined in claim il, in which the radial thickness of the bobbin clutching members is substantially as `great as the limits of thev stated movement will permit, whereby the bobbin clutching members are relatively heavy and act by centrifugal force .when the'epindle is rotating with a further increased pressure throughout their length against the bobbin.

11.` A@ rotatable spindle comprising a blade, apluralitylof clutch members positioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinally thereof and bodily andangularly movable radially thereof, ra-

dially-yielding means located between the blade andthe clutch members and acting against the clutch members intermediate ,their ends, and means to limit the outward movement of the ends of the clutch members, whereby as a bobbin is forced into position over the clutch members, the upper ends of said clutch members vwill firstl rock inward against a relatively light pressure and then the clutch members will movev bodily inward against a relatively "heavy pressure and finally, when the bobbin is seated, engage throughout their lengths the bobbin bore, and the said bobbin clutching members having a radial thickness substantially as great as the limits of the stated movement will permit, whereby the bobbin clutching members are relatively heavyy and act by centrifugal force when the spindle is rotating with a furtherinereased pressure throughout their length against the bobbin.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HORACE H. BURDETT. 

